


Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust

by rothy22



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies), The Hunger Games (Movies) RPF
Genre: Angst, Blood Brothers, Blood and Gore, Body Horror, Bullying, Cannibalism, Canon Compliant, Child Abuse, F/F, Hunger Games-Typical Death/Violence, Lesbian Character, Murder, Original Character Death(s), Physical Abuse, Pre-Hunger Games, Psychological Trauma, Slow Burn, Suicide, Suicide Attempt, Torture, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-23
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:42:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,110
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23801017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rothy22/pseuds/rothy22
Summary: When seventeen-year-old Marlene Ash from District 7 is thrown into the 72nd Hunger Games for the Capitol's twisted pleasure, she must learn to survive. However, she isn't the only one with a story to tell. Whether they were Careers from District 1 or impoverished workers from District 12, in the end, all of them were the same; victims of the Capitol, their blood only a drop in the endless ocean of violence the Capitol had created.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. Home

**Marlene**

_It is too damn cold here_. Marlene Ash thought as she kicked the blanket off her body, bracing herself for another hard day of cutting down trees. No matter what season it was, District 7 was always chilly. _Must be all the trees that block the sunlight_ , Marlene thought. Although she’s practically been forced to work as a lumberjack since the day she could walk, having to spend your days hacking down trees in a forest all day, every day never gets easier.

She pulls her gray T-shirt and pyjama shorts off before picking up her thick work overalls and a plaid button-up shirt. She quickly puts them on, not wanting to be naked in the cold air for longer than she has to be. As she buttons up her overalls, she gazes out the window. All of District 7 looked the same. Miles and miles of trees stretching on forever. Though the sight was dull, it was comforting nonetheless. These trees were her home.

After she buttons up the last button on her shirt, she walks down the hallway to her bathroom, turning the rusty faucet on. Ice cold water splashes out. Hot water was a luxury in District 7. Only the richer people had access to it. Though her family was not poor for District 7 standards, they still had to live very modestly to survive, and that includes missing out on hot water and having to skip dinner every now and then. Marlene splashes icy water on her face, trying to rid herself of her sluggishness. _God I’m so tired,_ Marlene thought as she looked into the dirty mirror on top of the sink.

The girl looking back at her had wiry yet muscular arms, no doubt a result of being underfed but forced to endure hard, physical labour for long hours. Her raven hair tumbled past her shoulders. Her face was rather plain. She never received much attention from the opposite sex. Her nose was crooked and her eyes were dark brown and slightly turned downwards at the ends.

“Marlene!” Her father yells from downstairs. “Hurry up! We’re going to be late!”

“I’m coming!” Marlene replies, breaking out of her reverie and drying her hands on a rag. She quickly runs out of her bathroom, practically flying downstairs. Her father Abraham and her 11-year old brother Alder were already waiting for her by the open door, axes slung across their shoulders.

“Hey sweetie!” Her mom calls out, walking towards her. “Did you sleep well?” She asks, placing a kiss on her cheek. Before Marlene could respond, her father impatiently interjects.

“Come on, Wylla, we’ll be late. Don’t hold her up.” 

At that, Marlene’s mother playfully rolls her eyes and walks back to the kitchen. Marlene jogs over to where her father was standing, quickly sliding on her work boots and grabbing her axe.

“Sorry dad”, she says sheepishly as they begin their walk to the forest where they worked.

“Don’t worry about it, little leaf.” He says affectionately, ruffling her hair. She gives him a genuine smile as a response. It was times like these that made her appreciate her loving family. She knew too many people who either had abusive homes or no parents at all. Though her life was by no means perfect, she can proudly say that she has an enjoyable life because of her wonderful family.

“Why do I get yelled at when I wake up late?” Alder whines, shooting a glare at his older sister.

“Because I’m better than you, that’s why.” Marlene retorts, jabbing the handle of her axe on her brother’s ribcage.

“Ow! Dad did you see that?” He yells.

Abraham sighs as a response, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Come on, you two are too old to be acting like this.”

“Yeah, idiot. Quit complaining.” Marlene says to her brother, taunting him.

“Marlene.” Her father says sternly, the glare in his eyes indicating that he was serious. “Stop it.”

At that, Marlene falls silent.

Finally, the trio arrives at the forest where they would be working for the day. A sturdy man with a hard face walks towards them.

“There you three are!” He bellows. “Right on time!”

“What’s the quota for today, Carron?” Abraham asks

“We’re aiming for 60 trees per person today,” Carron replies. “The Capitol’s demanding more this week. Must be because of the games starting next month.”

Marlene sighs. She wishes now more than ever that she was back in bed. _This was going to be a long day_.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Scarlett**

“Ugh!” Scarlett Hadley grunts, crashing onto the floor from the force of her trainer knocking her down with his staff. She quickly grabs her staff and scrambles to her feet, getting back into her fighting stance.

“Take 5!” The trainer yells. “You’re slacking.” 

Scarlett blushes in humiliation and irritation as she throws her staff to the ground. As she walks to the water station, she can hear the sound of giggling behind her. She was familiar enough with the cruel, tinkling laughter of Sonique and her clique to know that it was directed towards her. She scowls. Sonique has had it out for her ever since they arrived at the Preparatory Academy at the young age of 7. As the years went by, Sonique’s harassment only got worse. She went from pulling Scarlett’s pigtails during recess to tripping her in front of their trainers to stealing Scarlett’s first boyfriend when they were 14. She remembered crying for weeks over Junius. Scarlett had truly loved him and had so many dreams about their future together, including getting married in front of everyone in District 2 and proudly sending their kids off to the Preparatory Academy, where they would be moulded into future victors for the Hunger Games.

“Hey firecrotch!” Sonique sneers from behind her. Scarlett turns around, crossing her arms. Sonique’s three lackeys were behind her, all wearing equally condescending smirks on their pretty faces.

“What do you want?” Scarlett snaps, already in a foul mood from her earlier blunder.

“We saw your fuck up during hand to hand training.” She mocks. “You’re an embarrassment to District 2. Hell, you'd be the first to die during the Bloodbath if you ever made it to the Hunger Games.”

Upon hearing that, something inside Scarlett snaps. She had dedicated her entire life to winning the Hunger Games. Although everyone was forced to train for the Hunger Games, Scarlett always went the extra mile, spending her lunch breaks and free time training, picking the brains of past victors and trainers for survival tips and rewatching past Hunger Games. Her parents often had to drag her away from her punching bag and swords, unlike other parents who often had to force their kids to train. Without even thinking, she lets out a primal yell and lunges at Sonique, tackling the blonde girl to the ground.

The two teenagers fell to the ground in a flurry of screams and hair-pulling. In that moment, Scarlett didn’t even think about what her trainers or parents would say about this later. She just knew she had to beat this bitch up. She grabs Sonique by the throat and throws her down to the ground as hard as she can, feeling a sick sense of pleasure as she heard the impact of Sonique’s head slamming on the floor. Before Sonique could get up, Scarlett quickly pins the blonde girl’s throat down with her knee. She looks down at Sonique’s pretty face and relishes in the fear in her eyes. For the first time since meeting Sonique, she was the hunter, not the prey. Scarlett lets out a guttural yell and punches Sonique’s nose as hard as she can, taking pleasure in the cry of pain the other girl released. However, before she could land another punch on the other girl, Scarlett felt herself get forcefully pulled back.

“Hadley! What is the meaning of this?” Tiberius demands, glaring at her. Scarlett gulps. All the anger and bravery she had felt just moments ago completely dissipated and was now replaced by a cold sense of dread. Tiberius is the head trainer of the academy. If he ever decided to single someone out, it never ended well for them.

Sonique smirks gleefully, her nose leaking blood. _Of course she isn’t going to get punished_ , Scarlett thought bitterly. Perfect Sonique who everybody loved, the sweetheart of District 2. Everyone always sided with her no matter what. Scarlett was always the one who had to suffer.

“I-I’m sorry” she stammers out, mentally cursing herself for how stupid she sounded. Who could blame her though? Tiberius was the victor of the 52nd Hunger Games who won his crown by slaughtering 7 tributes in the Bloodbath and later killing the tributes from District 1 and District 4. He held the record for being the victor with the most kills. This man was a living God, and Scarlett is currently facing his wrath.

Without saying another word, he simply grabs her arm and drags her to his office. As she is being dragged away, Scarlett can hear the whispers and malicious giggles from her classmates.

_God, I hate them all_. Scarlett fumed, humiliation burning across her cheeks.

Thankfully, she was spared from further humiliation in front of her classmates when Tiberius closed his office door, shutting out the voices of her peers. His office was minimalistic. There was only a mahogany desk with two wooden chairs on either side of it and a few cabinets along the grey walls. _Fitting for a no-nonsense man like Tiberius_ , Scarlett thought.

“Sit,” Tiberius commands, pointing at a wooden chair. Immediately, she obeys his command and shuffles over to the chair, hoping she wouldn’t trip and make a fool of herself. “I’m sure you know why you’re here.” He said sternly once she sat down.

“I started a fight with Sonique.” She muttered, looking down at her hands.

“Look at me when I’m talking to you, tribute!” He yells. At that, Scarlett slowly turns her head up to meet his eyes. She can see disdain written all over his face. Scarlett immediately felt like she was two feet tall.

“You want to win the games one day, don’t you?” Tiberius asked.

“Yes I do. It’s my dream.” She replies earnestly.

“Well, judging by your lack of control over your emotions, I’m not sure you can even last one day in that arena.” He says, narrowing his flinty eyes.

“Sir, I’ve spent every waking moment of my life training for the games ever since I could walk,” Scarlett says, almost defensively. She knew arguing with Tiberius was practically a dance with death, but she will never let anyone disrespect her goal of winning the Hunger Games, not even Tiberius. “You’ve seen how hard I work and how dedicated I am!”

“Yes. You train hard, I can't deny that. But as a victor, I don’t think you have the discipline and self-control needed to win the games. Your little spat with Sonique today proved my prediction.” He replies dismissively.

Scarlett can feel tears welling up in her blue eyes. She was so tired of being underestimated. All her life she’s worked so hard for her dreams and overcame every obstacle life threw her way, yet they all still think she’s a weakling. She hated Tiberius. She hated Sonique. She hated everyone at the Academy so, so much.

“You’re dismissed for the rest of the day. I will be calling your father to come and pick you up and to decide how you’ll be punished. Leave my office.” He says, gesturing for her to get out.

Scarlett immediately gets up from the chair and walks out the door. She didn’t want to let this man see her tears. Unfortunately for her, the moment she walked out, Sonique decided to torment her again.

“Aww, is the weakling crying?” Sonique mocks, twisting her face into an exaggerated pout, her friends giggling maliciously behind her. Scarlett immediately wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand, feeling anger replace her humiliation.

“Go to hell, Sonique.” She says, trying her hardest not to lose control of herself. Before Sonique could reply, Scarlett walked out the front door of the Academy, slamming the door behind her.

Finally away from everyone else, Scarlett lets her tears fall and pounds her fists against the concrete walls of the academy. She was so frustrated, embarrassed and angry. _What if they’re right?_ A nagging voice in her head calls out. That damn voice. No matter how hard Scarlett trains, no matter what she accomplishes, that voice was always there. She can’t get rid of it no matter how hard she tries. Before Scarlett could wallow in her self pity any longer, her father’s silver car grinds to a halt in front of her, shaking her out of her thoughts.

Her father steps out of the car, a look of fury on his pale face. She immediately turns her gaze to the floor, not daring to look him in the eyes, a habit she retained from childhood. She could hear the crunch of his footsteps on the gravel getting closer and closer and braced herself.

“Get in the car right now!” Her father yells as he grabs her by the arm. His grip was painful, but Scarlett would never let him know that. She willed herself to remain silent. To only speak when spoken to until all of this was over. Her father yanks open the door to the passenger seat and shoves her inside. Scarlett brushed her red hair from her face as her father slammed the car door and stared straight ahead as her father got into the car and accelerated the vehicle.

_He’s driving faster than he should_ , Scarlett thought. She knew this couldn’t be good. Her father always did this when he was determined to rush his children home to punish them. She shuddered thinking of the punishment she’ll be forced to endure. She kept silent for the entire car ride, not daring to even breathe a little too loud.

Finally, they arrived home at the Victor’s Village, an extravagant mansion surrounded by yards of freshly mown green grass and extravagantly shaped bushes. The golden gates open automatically as the car approaches. Once they’re on the other side of the gate, her father stops the car, unbuckles his seatbelt and steps out of the car.

“Get out of the car.” Her father commands. Scarlett wastes no time in unbuckling her seatbelt and scrambling out of the passenger seat. Like he did back at the entrance of the academy, her father grabs her by the arm and drags her to the front door of the mansion.

Once they entered the living room, Scarlett could see that her entire family was there. They were all sitting on the plush, velvet couches with disapproving looks on their face. All of them except for her younger sister Hela, who looked at her with sympathy. Not wanting to sit with the rest of her family, Scarlett sat down on the couch parallel to them. Her father took his place next to her mother on the couch and whispered in her ear. She whispers something back. Scarlett didn’t even want to think about what they were saying to each other. After what felt like an eternity of suspenseful silence, her father speaks up.

“We got a call from the academy saying you attacked your classmate.”

Scarlett’s mouth drops open. Of course they were going to deflect all the blame from Sonique and place it all on her.

“I’m sorry father, but she started it. She was harassing me and I was just trying to make her shut up.” She replies defensively.

“She said a few mean words to you and that was enough for you to lose control of yourself?” Her father asks, snidely. “I thought I taught you better.”

Upon hearing that, Scarlett blushed in embarrassment. _It’s true. He always stressed the importance of self-control_ , she thought. _One cannot accomplish anything without mastering control of himself_. That was a phrase he was fond of repeating to her and her siblings. She had failed him. Scarlett felt angry with herself.

“Have I not told you that you have a reputation to maintain? You represent this family every time you step into that academy. You embarrassed all of us today because you couldn’t control yourself.” He says, his voice dangerously low.

“I’m sorry,” Scarlett mutters. There was nothing she could say to justify her actions. After all, he was right. Everyone at District 2, especially in the academy, held her to a different standard compared to everyone else. She came from a family of victors. Her father was the winner of the 42nd Hunger Games while her mother won the 41st Hunger Games. And if that wasn’t enough to give them an almost god-like status in District 2, her older brother Augustus was last year’s victor.

Her father doesn’t even bother responding to her apology. He simply stands up from the couch and disappears upstairs. Dread dawns on Scarlett. She knew what was coming next and judging by the look of fear in her sister’s eyes, so did she. She heard the footsteps coming down the ornate staircase as her father returned, a black whip in his hands.

“Stand up,” he orders. Scarlett suppressed a shudder as she stood up. She’s been through this process enough to know what to do next. She turns around and closes her eyes, waiting to hear the crack of the whip and to feel the all too familiar sting of her skin parting.

She tried to drown out the sound of her father uncoiling the whip. The more numb she was to her surroundings the better. However, nothing can ever truly prepare someone for the pain of being whipped. She can hear him moving the whip. She clamped her eyes shut and clenched her fists, digging her nails into her palms.

_Fuck! That’s one_ , Scarlett thought, screaming internally as the searing pain burned across her back. She can feel small streams of blood come out of her wound. She bit down on her bottom lip hard to suppress the cry of pain. In the midst of her agony, she found herself thinking of her classmates and trainers at the academy. It was their fault she was getting punished.

_Two_

Scarlett clenched her fists, thinking of Marcellus asking her out as a dare from his friends. That was the first time she was ever asked out and she had naively said yes, believing the boy’s kind words, only for him to laugh in her face and reveal that it was a cruel bet from his friends. Marcellus and his friends would then spend the next three weeks taunting her whenever they saw her.

_Three_

She thought of her brother’s final interview after he had won the 71st Hunger Games. He had prepared a beautifully written speech, dedicating his victory to his parents who supported his dreams, his trainers who pushed him to his breaking point, his friends for bringing joy to his life and his youngest sister who he hopes he will pass his legacy onto. He made zero mention of her.

_Four_

When Scarlett was fourteen, she had won first place in a sword-fighting competition at the academy. She had beaten every single boy and girl in her grade and she wore the victory like a crown. A few months later, her entire family had gathered for a Christmas dinner. Scarlett took this opportunity to share her accomplishments. No one responded. Not even her favourite aunt. From that moment on, Scarlett never told anyone about her achievements ever again.

_Five_

She can feel tears forming on her eyelids. She held them back. _Never show weakness_ , that was a rule she lived by. The memory of her former best friend, Clove, abandoning her to befriend the popular girls hurts more than any whip. Clove was the only friend Scarlett ever had and just like everything else, she had lost her to Sonique.

_Six_

One Wednesday morning, Scarlett arrived at the academy, early as usual. When she pushed open the wooden doors of the academy, she saw her worst nightmare come true. Sonique and her boyfriend at the time, Junius, were passionately kissing. Her legs were wrapped around his waist while he pinned her to the archery target wall. When she confronted him, he simply told her it was over and went back to kissing Sonique.

_Seven_

_“You’re getting fat,”_ her mother had complained one night at dinner as Scarlett helped herself to a second serving of mashed potatoes. Upon hearing that, Scarlett excused herself and cried for the rest of the night. She wouldn’t eat a proper meal for three months after that incident, only stopping when she started to get dizzy during training.

_Eight_

From the moment she entered the academy, Scarlett became the victim of Sonique’s wrath. No matter how hard she trained, Sonique was always praised over her for doing the bare minimum. Whenever Sonique started a fight, both teachers and students alike were on her side. Scarlett could never win against Sonique.

_Nine_

_“I’m not sure you can even last one day in that arena.”_ Tiberius had said to her just this morning. She respected the man more than anyone in her life. To hear those words from him cut deeper than a knife. After all, that man is an expert on the Hunger Games, a paragon of a victor. She wants him to believe in her. She wants to be like him.

_Ten_

_“Have I not told you that you have a reputation to maintain?”_ Her dad’s words rang inside her head. All she had ever wanted was to live up to her family name. That’s why she so desperately wanted to become a victor. She longed for the day when her family would finally be proud of her and cease their relentless mocking and belittlement. It was the reason why she fought until she collapsed, why she trained until her muscles ached.

After the tenth lash, her father drops the whip on the floor. Scarlett allowed herself to open her eyes, her eyelids slightly throbbing from how hard she was forcing them shut. The wounds on her back burned like fire. She could feel her blood pouring out of the wounds and pooling around her feet on the oak floorboards. Scarlett almost vomited from the sickening feeling. Any slight movement caused the pain to flare up. All she could do was stand as still as she could, though even just standing required all her strength.

“Lavender!” Mr Hadley called. Lavender is the avox medic who worked for the Hadley family. She was a gift from the Capitol sent to the Hadley Family to congratulate them on having a third victor join their ranks after Augustus had won his hunger games.

The petite, mousy haired woman scurries in, pushing a small cart full of medical supplies. She stops in front of Mr Hadley, politely folding her hands and bowing.

“Fix her up,” he orders her, gesturing towards Scarlett’s bleeding back. Lavender nods dutifully, pushing her cart to where Scarlett stood. As Lavender rummages through her medical supplies, he turns back to the rest of his family. “I think Scarlett learned her lesson today. You are all dismissed.”

Augustus was the first to leave, followed by her mother then her father. None of them even spared her a glance. Finally, only her sister remains. She waited until everyone else was out of sight then hesitantly walked up to Scarlett.

“Stay strong, sister,” Hela whispers, gently touching her arm. She then walks up the staircase into her room, leaving Scarlett alone with Lavender in the grand living room. Lavender turns towards Scarlett, a towel, a bottle of alcohol and ointment in her hands. She reached forward and pressed the towel against Scarlett’s wounds.

Immediately, a burst of pain shoots through her entire body. Scarlett almost collapsed. The medic keeps the towel pressed against her back for a few moments, soaking up the blood. Then, she places the bloody towel on the bottom compartment of the cart. Scarlett cringed in fear. What was coming next was the worst part.

She listened as Lavender unscrewed the cap to the bottle of alcohol and almost flinched away as she felt Lavender’s cold hand behind her neck. Without warning, Lavender pours the contents of the bottle onto Scarlett’s raw and agonized back.

Scarlett couldn’t take it anymore. She collapsed on her knees, her back screaming in pain and every inch of her skin feeling like it was simultaneously being electrocuted and set on fire. The pain was too much for her to handle. She dug her nails into her palm until she felt her nails break the skin on her palm and bit her lip until it bled but she didn’t let a single sound escape her lips. She would never let her father hear her cry out.

Lavender knelt down next to her and began applying a smooth, creamy ointment onto her wounds. Thankfully, the ointment eased her pain and she felt her wounds start to close up. She knew this ointment was from the Capitol. Not even the doctors at District 2 had access to such advanced medicine. As Lavender applied the ointment onto her back, Scarlett seethed.

The auburn-haired girl knelt on the ground. The pain on her back could not compare to the hatred she felt coursing through her veins, threatening to consume her. Her father, Sonique, Tiberius, Junius, all of them flashed through her mind. _One day, I’ll show them all_ , she thought, vengeance burning in her heart. _I’ll make sure they’re fucking sorry_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


	2. The Reaping part 1

**Marlene**

The sound of birdsong filling the air signified the beginning of the day. Though the weather was lovely today, Marlene couldn’t bring herself to appreciate it. She wished more than anything that this day would never come. Today was the day of the Reaping. The day that two citizens of District 7 will be sent to the Hunger Games to their almost certain deaths. Each year, Marlene prayed with all her heart that it wouldn’t be her who was picked. She could hear her mother’s footsteps coming up the stairs, no doubt to wake her up to get ready for the Reaping. She wishes she would go away. But, the odds were not in her favour today. Her mother gently knocks on the door.

“Marlene? It’s time to get ready,” her mother says quietly, just as distressed as her daughter was.

Marlene doesn’t bother responding. She didn’t want to move from her bed at all. Instead, she just tugs her blanket further up, hiding her face. Maybe if she pretended to be asleep, her mother would leave her alone and let her sleep through the Reaping. This was a ritual she performed every year on the day of the Reaping. Although Marlene knew that it would never work, she still stuck by it. Just as she expected, it didn’t work. Her mother enters the room and pulls down her blanket.

“Come on, Marlene. It’s just one more year and then you’re free from the Hunger Games,” she says, trying to sound optimistic. Marlene doesn’t respond. She simply lays there like a dead log, dark brown eyes vacantly staring at the ceiling. Her mother sighs. She knew how hard it was to get up for the Reaping, to be forced to get dressed and wait in the town square as anticipation and fear fried her nerves while she watched a garish escort from the Capitol dig her claws in a glass bowl filled with slips of paper and praying that it wouldn’t be her name that was called.

“I picked out a dress for you. It was passed down to me by my mother.” Mrs. Ash says as she drops said dress onto Marlene’s bed. “You know, I wore it on the day of my last Reaping and I didn’t get picked, so maybe it’s good luck”. Without saying another word, she turns and walks out of her daughter’s room, closing the door behind her. Marlene stayed there on the bed, unmoving. Finally, as she did every year, she comes to the realization that she has no choice but to get ready.

Mustering up all her willpower, she throws the warm blankets off her body and picks up the dress her mother gave her. _It smells like mothballs_ , she thought as she looked at the brown, button-up dress. She sighs. _I better get ready now before the peacekeepers come and drag me to the town square_. She thinks to herself. Marlene reluctantly gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom. As she does every morning, she splashes cold water on her face. Only this time, she decides to give it an extra scrub to cleanse her face of any dirt or oils. Although she absolutely hated the Capitol and the games, everyone was required by law to look their best on the day of the Reaping.

After she dried her face with a rag, she grabs the wooden hairbrush that she shared with her mother and runs it through her dark hair, brushing it until all the kinks and knots were smoothed out. As is customary for girls in District 7 to do for the Reaping, she french braids her hair, just as she had for the past five years.

Marlene looks in the mirror, making sure that she looks presentable enough as she runs a fingertip over her thick eyebrows, smoothing them down a little bit. After a quick analysis of her appearance, she walks back into her room, closing the door behind her. She looks at the dress that was laid out on her bed. Although it was old, it was charming. The sleeves were short, which would show off her muscular arms and there was a white collar on the neck hole of the dress. Not wanting to procrastinate her inevitable arrival to the Reaping, she takes off her T-shirt and baggy pants and puts the dress on.

As she is doing up the last button, her mother walks into her room. “Marlene-”, she began but stopped when her eyes landed on her daughter. Despite the bleak circumstances of that day, a soft smile breaks out on her face as her eyes filled with tears.

“Oh Marlene, you look so beautiful,” her mother gushed as she straightened her daughter’s collar. Her lips trembled as she brushed a stray curl behind Marlene’s ear and gazed at her face. “I wish I could do more to protect you from these horrible games,” she sniffles, suppressing a sob. Marlene felt a stabbing feeling in her heart at the sight of her mother in such a state of distress. She loves her mother so much and to see her suffer like this was agonizing. Marlene wrapped her arms around her mother, tightly hugging her to comfort both her mother and herself.

“It’s almost my last year, mom. I’ll be fine,” she assures her mother, trying to convince herself too. She thought about the probability of her getting chosen; she was seventeen, so her name was entered into that glass bowl six times. She never took tesserae, despite the allure of grain and oil, unlike many of her peers. The consequence of having her name entered more than the minimal amount frightened her to death. If anything, her chances of getting picked for the games are lower than most people her age.

Her mother pulls away from their embrace and looks at Marlene, her face screwed in contemplation. After a few moments of silence, she sighs.

“I suppose you’re right,” she says. “Come on, let’s go downstairs.”

The two begin walking downstairs, neither of them saying anything. The reality of the Reaping was too heavy on their hearts for them to make light-hearted conversation. When they arrived downstairs, Marlene could see her father and brother sitting down at the dinner table. If it was possible, Marlene felt her heart sink even further at the sight of them. Her father wore an expression of somberness as he comforted her brother, who was sobbing hysterically, tears running down his face like a river.

Marlene walked over to her brother and hugged him tight. She held onto him as if he would disappear if she dared to let go. He hugged her back, sobbing even harder into her shoulder. Marlene felt tears emerge in her eyes. Though she and her brother often got into petty arguments, she loves him more than she loved herself. She was only 6 years old when Alder was born. He was only the size of a loaf of bread. The moment her mother had passed Alder to her, Marlene remembered the fierce protectiveness she felt for her newborn brother as she looked at his sleeping face. As she held him, she promised herself that she would be the best sister ever.

After a while, Alder’s sobs finally die down, but Marlene didn’t let go of him.

“I don’t want you to go. What if you get chosen?” He mumbles against her shoulder.

“My name is only in there six times, Alder. Don’t worry,” she says, trying her best to sound comforting as she rubbed her hand in circles on his back.

“Ok,” he reluctantly says, sniffling at the end and pulling away from Marlene.

Marlene looks at her father. Though his face remained impassive, she could see the grief in his eyes. Though no one spoke a word, the air was heavy with worry and grief. She couldn’t stand it anymore. She had to get out.

“I’m going to go for a walk,” she says as she walks towards the door. “I’ll meet you guys in the town square.”

She doesn’t bother waiting for a response and takes off running into the forest the moment she steps out the door, relishing in the cool wind against her face and the adrenaline pumping in her veins. Running was her escape from reality. When she ran, she immediately forgot about all of her problems. As she starts to feel the familiar tightening of muscles in her thighs, she runs even faster, watching as the trees surrounding her blurs into shades of brown and green. Right now, there was no one else in the world but her. There was no Reaping and no Hunger Games, only her and the trees.

_I could get away from here_ , Marlene thought. _If I keep running, I’ll be away from this place. Away from the Capitol’s reach_.

“Marlene!” A voice yelled out, jerking her out of her thoughts. Marlene stops and looks around in irritation. She was not in the mood to make pointless small talk with anyone today. However, her annoyance dissipated when she saw that it was her best friend, Barker, who had called out her name. She smiled as he approached her. If there was anyone who understood what she was feeling, it was him.

“Going for a run?” He asks as he sits down on a rock in front of her.

“What does it look like, dipshit?” She replies jokingly. Tossing a pinecone at his chest.

He chuckles in response, throwing the pinecone back to her. She sits down next to him, smoothing out her dress as she did so. Suddenly, his smile fades into a sad frown. Marlene sighs. There was no escape from the stress of the Reaping, no matter where she went.

“What’s wrong?” She asks, although she already knew the answer.

“The Reaping. My name is in there 30 times.” He says, his voice trembling. His hands were shaking too.

Marlene doesn’t reply. There was no point in telling him that he wasn’t going to be chosen because she can’t guarantee it. There is no point in comforting lies. They’ll always end up hurting you. Instead, she decides to voice out her thoughts from her run.

“What if we ran away? What if you, me, Lindell and Cedar just ran deep into the forest and never came back? She asks, looking at the brown-haired boy.

He looks at her as if she was crazy. “Marlene, you and I both know that would never work,” he replies.

“Why not?” She insists.

“The Capitol will find us. They have all that fancy technology.”

“They don’t know these trees as well as we do.”

His face breaks out in a smile as he lets out a genuine laugh. “I suppose you’re right,” he says, “but what about our families?”

Marlene felt her smile drop. She didn’t consider them at all in this crazy plan of hers. She stayed silent for a moment.

“It wouldn’t work,” she says, regret heavy in her voice.

“Yeah,” he replies, sounding as disappointed as she felt.

The two teenagers sat there in the forest, finding comfort in each other’s company. Neither of them spoke a word. They simply watched the leaves rustle as a mild breeze blew through the forest. They stayed like this for a few minutes until Barker decided to break the silence.

“I like your dress,” he says.

“Thanks, it’s my mom’s,” she replies, smiling.

“I can tell. I’ve known you for 11 years and I know you would never wear a dress outside of the Reaping,” he says, chuckling lightly.

“Well, dresses aren’t very practical,” she playfully replies. “I spend most of my time chopping down trees. I don’t need to look pretty doing that.”

“Tell that to Lindell,” he says, laughing. Marlene laughs along with him. Lindell was another one of her close friends, but it was shocking how different she and Marlene were. If left unsupervised, Lindell would spend hours preening in the mirror and fixing her hair. The only thing Lindell hated more than getting mud on her clothes was physical labour, which is why she works at her mother’s bakery instead of getting a job felling lumber like most people her age did. Though Lindell was vain and prissy, she has a heart of gold.

“How do you think she is?” Marlene asks, suddenly concerned about her.

“Scared as shit. Like the rest of us.” Barker replies, grimly.

“How much time do we have left until the Reaping?” She asks.

“About two hours. Why?” Barker asks, curious about what she was planning.

“Let’s go to the bakery to see her. I don’t think she’ll want to be alone.” Marlene responds.

“Yeah, good idea,” Barker says affirmatively as he stands up. Marlene stood up as well, brushing dead leaves from her dress.

“I’ll race you!” Marlene exclaims, breaking into a sprint. Barker laughs and follows after her, trying to keep up with the speedy girl.

When the two teenagers finally reached the marketplace, they stopped to catch their breaths. Together, they walked to the bakery where their friend was. The bakery smelled like fresh pastry and warm bread, making Marlene’s stomach grumble loudly, reminding her that she didn’t have breakfast this morning.

“Lindell!”, Barker yells as he leans over the counter. The curtains hanging from the entrance of the baking room rustled as a small, pretty girl with curly, chestnut hair walked out, pushing the curtains to the side. She was followed by a lanky boy with shaggy hair.

“Hey guys,” Lindell says glumly. She looked even more dolled up than usual. Her hair was immaculately styled, every curl falling in the right place and she definitely put something on her eyelashes to make them appear longer and darker, though Marlene couldn’t identify what it was. She was wearing a beautiful white dress that hugged her curves perfectly. Since Lindell came from the richer part of District 7, her family was able to afford luxuries that Marlene can’t.

“Well, you look nice today,” Barker says, attempting to lift her mood.

At that, Lindell lets out a small smile, though Marlene could tell it wasn’t genuine. In any other circumstance, Lindell would’ve been beaming with pride upon receiving a compliment on her appearance.

“Today’s the one day I didn’t want to look pretty for,” Lindell says regretfully. Marlene couldn’t help but chuckle at that answer. It was nice to see that throughout all the misery, her friends continued to be themselves. The others soon catch on, lightly chuckling.

After they fall silent, the air feels much lighter. Marlene decides to start the ritualistic banter they engaged in whenever they were together.

“Lindell, can I have some bread? I didn’t have breakfast this morning,” Marlene says, adding a mock pouty face at the end. She knew that pouty face annoyed Lindell to no end because it was a blatant mockery of her tendency to pout whenever things didn’t go her way. Lindell takes it in stride and playfully pushes her shoulder.

“If Marlene gets bread, then all of us get some! It’s only fair,” the lanky boy insists.

“Cedar, your fat ass doesn’t need any bread,” Marlene jokingly retorts. Barker and Lindell laugh loudly while Cedar fakes offence.

“Alright, how about this. We’ll fight it out and if you win, you get the bread and if I win, I get it,” Cedar says.

“Let’s do it!”, Marlene laughs. This was a game they had played since they were children. Whenever her, Cedar and Barker wanted to settle an argument, they would fight one another. Though violent, it was a game they all enjoyed and no one ever got seriously hurt during these fights. For obvious reasons, Lindell never joined in these fights, instead opting to watch from the sidelines.

Without warning, Cedar springs at her, tackling her to the ground. Marlene had fought Cedar enough times to know his weaknesses. She knew she was much quicker and more agile than he was. Before he could land a hit on her, she kicks him off with all her strength, causing him to land on his back. She quickly straddles him, placing all her weight onto his stomach to prevent him from getting up and wrapped her hands around his throat, choking lightly enough to not seriously hurt him but enough to incapacitate him. In response, Cedar swings an arm towards her head, but Marlene’s quick reflexes allow her to catch his arm with one hand while keeping her other on his throat. She twists his arm back, bending it at an unnatural angle. He lets out a small grunt of pain.

“Do you give up?”, Marlene playfully taunts as she applies more pressure onto his throat. Cedar nods, unable to speak.

Marlene immediately lets go of him and stands up. As he gasps for breath on the floor, she extends a hand to him and helps him stand.

“And we have a winner!”, Lindell cheers as she hands Marlene a small loaf of freshly baked bread.

Marlene felt her stomach rumble as she took the bread from Lindell. She immediately takes a bite, savouring the doughy goodness. She could see Cedar eyeing her bread longingly.

“Hey, Cedar,” she says, getting his attention. She then tore off half her bread and tossed it to him. He gives her an appreciative glance in response.

Suddenly, the dreaded blast of the air horns sounded out all over District 7, sending chills down Marlene’s spine. The Reaping was about to begin.

The four teenagers stood there for several moments, not wanting to move. The atmosphere in the room had gone from being playful and happy to the grim and fearful setting she had tried to escape from. Finally, they walked out of the bakery, with Barker leading the way. Marlene could see Lindell shaking. The small girl was clearly holding back tears. In response, Marlene grabs Lindell’s hand and squeezes it, providing a source of comfort to her. The four of them walk in silence to the town square. Since Lindell’s family bakery was only ten minutes away, it wasn’t that far of a walk, though Marlene wished it was.

As they got closer to the town square, Marlene could see the wide courtyard slowly being filled with young people. The four of them look at each other as gloomy kids mill around them, waiting to get their fingers pricked for identification. The peacekeepers usher them into a single file line, separating the four of them.

As she waited in line, Marlene looks around. All around her, there were people crying, frowning and hugging their loved ones. Typical behaviour for the Reaping. She looks around until her eyes fell on a heartbreaking sight. A twelve-year-old girl is sobbing and clinging onto her father while her mother silently cries. Her heart wrenched. _This is going to happen to Alder in one year_ , she thought. The thought made her want to throw up. The games were inhumane. Children were being sent to die in the name of entertainment for the Capitol. Marlene felt a surge of anger towards the Capitol. Before she could watch the family of three any longer, it became her turn to get her blood sampled for identification.

“Next”, the peacekeeper in charge of handling blood samples says monotonously. Marlene approaches the table and holds out her index finger to the peacekeeper. She slightly winced as the handheld device collects her blood, sending a small wave of shock through her hand.

“Go ahead”, the peacekeeper says to her.

Upon the peacekeeper’s approval, Marlene walks into the town square and heads toward the roped-off section for the 17-year-olds towards the back. Luckily for her, she spots Lindell and stands next to her. There was a buzz of chatter all around her. People were talking in hushed tones, though Marlene didn’t care to listen to what they were saying. As the last few people trickled in, the escort made her way to the stage.

“Welcome, welcome”, the nasally, cheerful voice of the escort rang out, effectively silencing the town square and diverting all the attention onto her.

Marlene recognized the escort. Agrippina Tchotchke. The same escort District 7 has had for years now. She was unsure whether Agrippina really enjoyed being an escort for District 7 or if she was just unable to move up to the fancier districts.

Agrippina looked ridiculous as always. Her hair was curled up in a beehive’s shape and so brightly orange that it hurt her eyes to look at. Her skin was a horrible, pasty colour that reminded Marlene of a corpse’s skin. Everything else was orange. Marlene didn’t think she could get sick of a colour until now. Marlene and Lindell exchanged glances and sniggered under their breaths, both of them laughing at how awful the escort looked.

“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!”, Agrippina trills, smiling brightly. “Before we begin, allow me to present the heroic victors of District 7!”

Agrippina claps excitedly as she looks into the crowd, her eyes beckoning for them to clap along with her. The town square hesitantly clapped unenthusiastically for several seconds to appease her. Marlene doesn’t bother clapping along. She didn’t want to do anything to make Agrippina happy and it was no honour to be paraded around by the Capitol.

“Please welcome Blight Wrenwood, Vim Crasnys and our newest victor, Johanna Mason!” Agrippina yells excitedly as the three victors of District 7 walked on stage. Blight and Vim plastered on fake smiles and waved to the crowd while Johanna crossed her arms and scowled.

Johanna had won the Hunger Games last year. She was probably one of the most brutal victors. Marlene remembered how she had cleverly disguised herself as a weakling so that the Career tributes would leave her alone during the games. When it came down to the final seven tributes, Johanna revealed her true nature and ruthlessly slaughtered her enemies, winning her the title of Victor.

“Now, allow us to present a special film brought to you all the way from the Capitol!” The escort says excitedly, clapping her hands.

They played this film every year. Marlene could probably recite the entire monologue in her sleep. It was so incredibly cheesy and dramatic that every time she watched it, she couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

_“War, terrible war. Widows, orphans, a motherless child. This was the uprising that rocked our land. Thirteen districts rebelled against the country that fed them, loved them, protected them.”_

Marlene turned to Lindell and exchanged an exasperated glance with the other girl. It was incredibly hilarious to her how the Capitol tried to victimize itself.

_“Brother turned on brother until nothing remained. And then came the peace, hard-fought, sorely won. A people rose up from the ashes and a new era was born. But freedom has a cost. When the traitors were defeated, we swore as a nation we would never know this treason again. And so it was decreed, that each year, the various districts of Panem would offer up in tribute, one young man and woman, to fight to the death in a pageant of honour, courage and sacrifice. The lone victor, bathed in riches, would serve as a reminder of our generosity and our forgiveness.”_

On the screen, a muscular, handsome young man raised his sword to the sky victoriously, pride written on his face. _That is a lie,_ Marlene thought. _The victors are never glamourous. They always end up broken._

_“This is how we remember our past. This is how we safeguard our future.”_

With that last sentence, the video ends. Everyone in the town square was glaring up at the screen. Clearly all of them felt the same hatred that Marlene had felt towards the Capitol while watching the movie. Agrippina on the other hand was sobbing tears of pride and joy.

“Oh, that was so inspirational,” she crooned as she delicately dabbed at her orange lidded, heavily lashed eyes. “Now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for!”

Marlene’s stomach clenched as Agrippina walked towards the glass bowls filled with thousands of slips of papers.

“Ladies first!” She declares as she stops in front of a bowl. The entire town square was silent with anticipation as she dug her orange claws in the bowl for a few seconds, dramatically swishing her hands around as if she were picking a prize. After what felt like forever, Agrippina pulls out a delicately folded slip of paper with a theatrical flourish and unfolds it.

“Marlene Ash!”

Suddenly, the world was suddenly moving in slow motion. Marlene could hear the cry of a woman coming from behind her, though she couldn’t tell who it was from. The town square was silent suddenly felt too small, threatening to suffocate her. All eyes in the town square turned towards her, but all she could see was the bright orange hair of Agrippina.

She was jerked back to reality by the sound of Lindell sobbing. Marlene turns to her friend, dazed.

“What?” she whispers to Lindell, hoping it was a misunderstanding. _I’ve been safe every year. My name is only there six times_. She thought, trying to rationalize this doomed situation.

“I’m so sorry,” Lindell blubbers, her tears staining black as they mixed with the substance on her eyelashes. Marlene’s heart fell. This was reality. She was picked for the Hunger Games and she would die in the arena.

“Where are you?” Agrippina’s shrill voice calls out, a hint of impatience in her voice. “Come on, we don’t have all day!”

The people around her clear a path for her. Without thinking, Marlene walks out of her spot in the throng of 17-year-old girls and into the path leading to the stage. She felt so exposed and vulnerable being out in the open where all of Panem was watching her. However, she was too numb to feel anything or even see in front of her. She was simply in a daze.

“Come on up, dear”, Agrippina says gently, holding out her hand for Marlene to take. Marlene didn’t even realize that she had reached the stage. She ignores Agrippina’s hand, not wanting to touch that disgusting woman. If Agrippina was annoyed at her for that rejection, she didn’t show it. Marlene silently walks onto the stage, gazing out at the sea of people.

“Now, for the gentleman!” Agrippina squeals.

She walks towards the other glass bowl and fishes out a name.

“Rosco Murdock!”

_Thank God it isn’t Barker or Cedar_. Marlene thought. She had absolutely no idea who Rosco Murdock was, which slightly relieved her. It would be easier to compete against someone you didn’t know than your friend. A loud wail emanates from the crowd in the male’s section. Marlene watched as the 16-year-old boys cleared a path for Rosco Murdock. However, he refuses to move. She could see him crouched on the floor, sobbing his eyes out.

This spectacle was honestly embarrassing to Marlene. After all, everyone in Panem will be watching and judging them based on their reaction to being picked. By looking like such a weakling, Rosco won’t be winning over many fans in the Capitol.

After a few minutes passed, Rosco still hasn’t moved from his spot on the ground. When it became clear that he was too distraught to move, two peacekeepers marched up to him, roughly grabbed him by the arms and dragged him to the stage, tossing him to Agrippina’s feet like he was a heap of garbage. Marlene considered helping him up, but decided against it.

“Come on, dear. Stand up,” the escort says, offering her hand to Rosco. He sniffles and grabs her hand, allowing her to help him stand up. Once he calmed down, he stood beside Marlene and faced the crowd, tears dripping down his pale cheeks.

“Shake hands, you two”, Agrippina says enthusiastically. Marlene looks at Rosco. He had large brown eyes and floppy blonde hair. _He won’t survive a day in that arena_ , she thought as she grabbed his hand and shook it. Even his handshake was weak. Unlike her calloused hands, his were soft. He clearly didn’t work as a lumberjack like she did, which would definitely prove to be detrimental for Rosco. Unlike District 1, 2 and 4, District 7 didn’t train for the Hunger Games. The only advantage District 7 tributes could have in the arena was their experience with axes.

“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favour!”, Agrippina declares happily once again. Then, she placed her corpse-like hands onto Marlene and Rosco’s shoulders and lead them inside the building behind them. The peacekeepers opened the heavy, mahogany doors, allowing the three of them to enter the building. Once they were inside, the door slammed shut, leaving Marlene in darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think!


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